There and Back Again
by Executortionist
Summary: Cloud, defeated by something so, incredibly simple, is given a choice; Either go back in time, or return to a dying world. He's chosen the obvious one of course, and with optimistic feelings, he returns to the past to fix things that shouldn't have happened in the first place. SLASH Genesis/Cloud
1. Prologue: Where it all Began

**Title: **There and Back Again

**Summary: **Cloud, defeated by something so, incredibly simple, is given a choice; Either go back in time, or return to a dying world. He's chosen the obvious one of course, and with optimistic feelings, he returns to the past to fix things that shouldn't have happened in the first place.

**Pairing:** Genesis/Cloud

**Warning:** Time Travel, Slash, maybe some OOC characters?

**A/N: **Hi, hello, hey! To those previously subscribed to me, I've deleted everything and changed my name, sorry if you liked any of those stories. They truly weren't going anywhere (and I doubt you remember them in the first place, haha) To those who are new, Hi! I'm Executortionist, and I'm jumping on the time travel bandwagon for FFVII! Wow, how cliched, but whatever, I enjoy it,, and I hope you do too!

So yeah,** I need a beta**! If you're interested in betaing for this story just message me or leave a review, I'd be happy to have you on my team. In fact, I want **two betas!** Please? I just want this to be extra good and I want to fix my writing and I just want people to really like this, because I plan on finishing it, and I need people to kick my ass into gear. It would be good if any Beta that's willing to help has skype, please? I also want to make friends, and I hope the two betas I collect will be willing to jump on skype with me as a group and discuss things. Skype is just so much easier than messaging back and fourth here.

So hehe, I don't own anything! Only my own writing, yo!

* * *

"_I'm only here because_

_I want to twist the structure of my average day_

_We feel nothing so jump into the fog"_

-The Wombats "Jump into the Fog"

* * *

It was quiet.

Too quiet.

In fact, it was so quiet, that Cloud could most certainly hear the rustling of his own clothes in some non-existent wind.

He supposed the lifestream had always been like that.

Thinking back on his situation and how he even got to the flower covered fields of Aerith's domain in the lifestream, he realized he had really, really died by something completely silly; he had starved to death.

After the remnants, everyone had really kicked their planet-saving thoughts into action. Everyone had done their best; heck, even Rufus Shinra and the Turks had helped out with some of the more financially difficult plans. In the end though, it hadn't been enough. They'd been too late to save their home, and as a result people quickly started dying off as the planet came up with new diseases and harsher weather.

Food had become scarce after the first few hurricanes and earthquakes. It was around that time that Tifa and the children had died from a caved in building. It was also around that time that Cloud stopped talking to people.

If only he had been faster, stronger, and maybe more determined, he could have saved them. Now though, all that was left was a crumpled bar and bloody, mangled bodies.

And so, it was a few months after this that Cloud had died. Despite all of the things that had been injected into his body at the hands of Hojo, he still needed nutrition. That had been his ultimate downfall, and how here he was, standing among the field of yellow and white flowers of the lifestream.

Cloud could feel how wrong his presence was there. He had been initially upset when Zack and Aerith had rejected him from the lifestream almost five years ago, but he understood it, and in fact, he'd finally accepted it. He just wondered what would happen to him now, with his body being dead and the planet almost diminished into nothing.

He turned when he felt the warm presence of his friends, and he could feel his heart starting to hurt as he looked at both Zack and Aerith, happy together at last. They looked so right together, and Cloud was suddenly glad that he only felt that Aerith was like a sister now. Before, when his memories had been messed up with Zack's, he had actually thought he had been in love with her. How wrong he was. Aerith must have thought he'd been pathetic back then.

Turning his eyes away from the pair, he suddenly felt a feminine but strong hand on the upper part of his sleeved arm. Turning his head just slightly, his eye widened when he saw Tifa, smiling the sweet smile she had always given him. She was another sister to him, though he knew she had always wanted more. "Tifa."

Tifa's smile brightened just slightly as she looked in front of him. Wondering what had caught her attention, he was startled to find Aerith and Zack right in front of him now. A heavy hand was clapped down on his shoulder, and he felt a little used smile rise on his face. Trust Zack to be friendly.

"Cloud! I had hoped we'd never see you here again! Man, this really sucks." Looking at Zack as he felt Tifa drop her hand and stand beside him, he was almost surprised at the sadness he saw in his old friend's eyes. Zack was sad that he had died. Zack… quite clearly felt it was his fault. It wasn't. He didn't know why Zack blamed himself for so many things.

Feeling a funny feeling rise in his chest, Cloud let his smile grow. "You really don't like me that much, huh?" It was clear to everyone that Cloud was joking, and Tifa almost looked shocked that he was like that. Zack just laughed and brought the smaller man into his arms, ruffling his hair in affection.

"Naw Spike, I could never hate you!" and suddenly, a weight had been lifted from Cloud's shoulder with that simple statement. As soon as Zack stepped away from him, everything was quiet again, and Cloud just now realized how grim Aerith looked. Tifa and Zack must have realized it too, because suddenly the silence was heavy.

"Cloud… you still don't belong here." Cloud's eyes widened, but he'd known. Hearing it from Aerith just solidified his suspicion. "I'm sorry."

Lowering his eye from her, Cloud shrugged. He knew it. He knew it would bad. "What now? I can't be sent back… please don't send me back there." Lifting his head, he finally let the situation actually hit. Cloud's shoulders were shaking and he felt his eyes burn. He didn't want to cry in front of these people. He had to be strong, for them.

"C'mon Aerith, there's gotta be something we could do! Anything would be better than sending him back to that… the planet is dying anyway. Within a few years Cloud would just be back here again!" Zack vehemently felt that he needed to do something for Cloud. His friend had been through so much, and he needed some good in his life. Cloud _needed _something amazing; something to outshine everything bad that had ever happened in his life.

Aerith looked hesitantly between the three people in her company. There was something she could do, but she didn't know how well it would go over with Cloud and Tifa. Would Tifa let Cloud out of her grasp once again?

Aerith agreed with Zack though, they couldn't send Cloud back to the place where he had previously been. Finally, she let her gave settle on Cloud with a strange determination welling up inside her. "There is…something. Cloud, how do you feel about time travel?" Aerith gave a kind smile when she heard his slight intake of breath. She knew that would get his attention.

It was at this time that Tifa spoke up for the first time. "You want to send Cloud to the past?!" Tifa had picked up what Aerith had been saying quickly. "That's not possible! What if it turns out exactly the same as here? Cloud…" She wouldn't let Cloud be hurt like that, she just couldn't. She'd seen the effects of Aerith's and Zack's deaths on him, and he didn't need that again. He shouldn't have to kill Sephiroth and the remnants all over again either. Cloud shouldn't have to relive anything.

Tifa was about to continue protesting when Cloud held up a hand, silencing her. "Tifa, that would be good. I'd be able to save everyone." Cloud had a light in his eyes, he could feel the anticipation already, knowing he'd be able to change _so_ much if he went back. He'd be able to save Zack the grief of killing his own mentor. Heck, he'd be able to save that very same mentor, and maybe even Genesis too.

Though, he barely remembered them. The only things he knew about Zack's mentor were his name, and some little things. Zack had told them about him when he'd been mako poisoned. Cloud remembered Genesis very faintly though, barely remembering the red clad commander as he degraded and fought with Zack. He'd been so awe stricken at his movements back then. They'd been so graceful; it had almost looked like a dance!

Zack chuckled at the glazed look in Cloud's eyes. It was clear that this would be a good choice. Zack was glad that Cloud's experienced in life hadn't effected him too badly. If it had been him, he'd have been an emotional wreck by now. "Don't worry Tifa, Cloud's strong. So, Aerith! It's clear Cloudy-boy here wants to do it, so when do we start?!" Zack was also excited for this. Who cared if his existent ended, he'd still technically be alive anyway, and he really, desperately wanted to help Cloud.

Cloud seemed to be knocked out of his thoughts by Aerith's little giggle. "I'd like to do it now. What do we have to do? And… well, can I keep my sword?" First Tsurugi was his baby, even more so than his motorcycle. Heck, if he failed the SOLDIER exam he could always become a mechanic or some sort of weapon designer for ShinRa. He wouldn't mind that, and he'd no doubt still get to hang out with Zack. He couldn't remember ShinRa having many weapon designers, and he'd need to actively associate with the others to get to know their weapon type and what would suit them.

Aerith brushed a strand of hair behind her ear as she turned to her right, where no one was standing and kneeled down, picking a white flower gently. Zack had laughed at Cloud's sword comment, and he sincerely hoped he'd be able to see it. He'd only seen it once before, and that was during his last fight with Sephiroth. When Aerith was standing again, she gave the flower to Cloud, and Tifa quietly watched on with tears in her eyes. She wouldn't be able to stop Cloud if he wanted this. It made her sad, but it was a reality she would have to accept.

Taking the flower with two fingers, Cloud scrutinized it and then looked towads Aerith. "What…?"

Aerith waved her hand at him, "Just close your eyes and think of your cadet days. The flower will do the rest." Giving Cloud an apologetic look, she continued, "I can't give you your sword, I'm sorry. Physical things can't be transported. Really, it's just your mind going back while your existence here ends permanently." She hoped Cloud wouldn't be angry with her.

Surprisingly, or maybe not so surprisingly, Cloud nodded and turned to Tifa, giving her a quick hug and a sad goodbye, before smiling his widest at the other two. He'd definitely see those two again, he knew he would.

With that, Cloud closed his eyes and though his hardest back to when he was a cadet, before the SOLDIER exams. He knew it would be hard, but he could do it. He would have to.


	2. Cloud: Awaken

Title: There and Back Again

Pairing: Genesis/Cloud

Time Travel

**A/N: **Here I am with the second chapter! (more like chapter one haha, I forgot to mention the last chapter was the prologue! Ah well, whatever, it doesn't quite matter anyway!) Just so everyone knows, I've found one beta! Her name is **Noctisis Rrhagia**! And with that, I'd like to mention that I am looking for **one more beta** please! Message me or leave a review if you would like the job!

So yeah, I don't own yada yada, enjoy!

* * *

"_We are lies like the summertime_

_Like the spring we are such fools_

_Like fall we are false prophets_

_And like winter we are cruel"_

_-_The Bravery "Bad Sun"

* * *

It was painful. Aerith hadn't said it would be painful.

Curling up tightly in a lumpy, slightly uncomfortable bed, Cloud kept his eyes shut tightly as he gripped at his head, holding his hands over his ears tightly as if it would help with the pain. He desperately tried to keep himself from making any noise, aware that it was very, very early in the morning, and everyone else in the barracks would be sleeping. Alas, he couldn't help it as a scream tore through his throat, startling several people awake.

This body didn't have as high of a pain tolerance as his previous had, and it seemed as if the mako had followed him. He could feel the burning pain of the liquid through his veins. Aerith hadn't said it would hurt so much; why hadn't she said anything?

Cloud barely registered someone picking him up after what seemed like hours had passed. The body was warm, strong, and reminded him of Zack, though he knew it couldn't be. It was probably some instructor that had been called to bring him to the infirmary. Cloud hated doctors for obvious reasons, but he didn't see any other option in this situation. He could barely move as the pain coursed through his body.

It was almost a blessing when he felt the edges of his conscience started to blur and darken.

* * *

Waking up the second time, there was no pain, only an aching Cloud could feel in his bones and heart were left from when he had arrived in the past. Not willing to open his eyes in case it was all a dream, Cloud took in the sounds and smells of where he was. There was no doubt in his mind that he was in the infirmary. The smell of medicine and sterilized objects was everywhere, lingering in his senses and making him remember a time where things had been dark and hopeless and filled with pain.

Cracking his left eye open just a bit, Cloud was assaulted by the bright whiteness of the ceiling and florescent lights. Quickly closing it, he heard a shuffling at his bedside and he reluctantly opened his eyes again. Squinting in the light, Cloud turned his head slightly so see who was there. He would've been surprised if it were anyone else than who was sitting there, considering the ruckus he had created not too long ago.

The person who was sitting next to him was Sephiroth, the General of SOLDIER and his lifelong enemy. How was Cloud even supposed to treat him now? He wasn't insane yet. He was still the man Cloud had idolized when he was younger, and that thought brought just a tiny bit of comfort to his mind. Despite this, he still couldn't stop himself from tensing up just slightly.

Sephiroth seemed to notice he was awake as he lowered the papers he was looking at. Looking at Cloud with his piercing green, cat-like eyes, Cloud grew nervous. He didn't know what to expect from this Sephiroth. He half expected the regular questions of 'What he cherished most'. He was completely surprised when Sephiroth only opened his mouth to ask a very different question than from what he was expecting. "Cadet Strife, how are you feeling?"

He… would have expected the silver General to get straight to the point, not asking how he was feeling. Thinking carefully over what he should say, he ended up weakly saluting, "Sir, I feel fine… just a little sore." He dropped his hand, waiting for whatever would come next in this strange interrogation, if it could even be called that. One question hardly qualified as an interrogation.

Before Sephiroth could ask his next question, the door to the room burst open, and Zack bounced in. Now, Cloud wasn't entirely sure when he'd ended up, but he was pretty sure it was before Genesis deserted, if the following two SOLDIERS who entered were anything to go by. Pretty soon, Zack, Angeal, and Genesis himself were all standing there, looking as if Cloud had done something terrible, or maybe they were angry at Zack, who really only looked happy and curious.

Soon after he'd had that thought, Cloud found himself with a face full of Zack. The Black haired Second looked like he would explode from all the questions he had. "What's your name? I'm Zack! Hey Sephiroth, what happened? Is he okay?"

Cloud could already feel the smile blooming on his face from Zack's attitude. He was so much happier than what Cloud remembered, though he'd really only associated with Zack after Angeal's death. By that time, Zack had calmed down Quite a bit. "Uhm, sir? I'm Cadet Cloud Strife." He felt his insides warm as he introduced himself to Zack. He really hoped they would become friends again. It would certainly keep him from losing his sanity.

"The Cadet is fine, Zackary. Apparently he has some mako in his system though…" Cloud avoided the suspicious eyes of Sephiroth and instead looked around the room. It was quite obviously day time, what with the sun peeking through the curtains, but other than that, there wasn't even a plant in the room. It wasn't a very comforting place.

Each of the SOLDIERs pulled up a chair and sat around Cloud. It made Cloud very, extremely uncomfortable, what with all the eyes on him. He could feel the demanded explanation from everyone but Zack. Heck, even Genesis, who usually had his nose in his book, was looking at him inquisitively. Cloud felt himself turn shy at the attention. He always had been a shy man.

"Uh, I don't know what happened, sirs. I just kind of woke up and it was really painful." Cloud directed his eyes to where his hands were resting in his lap. At least it was a half-truth. He was surprised when he felt the familiar, heavy hand of Zack ruffle his hair.

"Hey now, that's fine. It just gives us something to investigate!" Zack drew his hand back and looked between the General and his Commanders. "We should help Cloudy-cakes here figure out what happened! It'll be no problem, right Angeal?"

The taller man, who was Angeal, sighed. "I suppose. Say, Strife, what are you planning to do in the future? What are your dreams?" Angeal had his arms crossed, and Cloud was surprised at the question. Could he do more than be a cadet and get into SOLDIER? Running through the thoughts he'd had before traveling to the past, Cloud smiled just slightly at Zack's mentor.

"I… kind of want to be a weapon designer, or maybe a mechanic." Getting a dreamy look in his eyes, though he didn't know it, Cloud thought about Fenrir's engine and how something so efficient hadn't been invented yet. He would have a lot of fun with reinventing Fenrir and First Tsurugi, no matter how much of a pain it would be. "My dream though… my dream is to save everyone." He didn't mention that most of 'everyone' was sitting in that room with him.

Hearing a scoff, Cloud glared just slightly at Genesis. If Cloud knew he wouldn't be punished, he would have perhaps said some things, but knowing how temperamental the red Commander was, he'd have to save it for when he better knew the man. "What the hell are you doing in the cadet program then?"

The question honestly didn't surprise Cloud. Sheepishly, he raised a hand to play with a piece of his hair. It was a habit he had never been able to quite. He remembered that his mother had called it cute, much to his embarrassment at the time. "I, uh, don't know? My mother wanted me to be in SOLDIER. I wanted to make her happy, sir." The 'sir' had just been tacked on the end there, since Cloud wasn't used to calling anyone that anymore. He'd have to fix his behaviour soon. He didn't want to stand out more than he already had…

Genesis made a face and just made a 'hmm' noise to show that he had acknowledged what the boy had said. Sephiroth, who had been listening and observing the entire time, tilted his head just slightly while looking at the shy teen in front of them.

"If you want, Cadet, I can have you switched over to the mechanic division? Your records show that you aren't doing very well as a cadet. It would be beneficial to the ShinRa Company if you took up mechanics instead of continuing on as a cadet. Unfortunately, we don't have weapon designer training."

Cloud was shocked that Sephiroth was offering him that. Sure, his barely there memory of when he was younger had shown him that he was abysmal in the SOLDIER Cadet program. He'd been bullied and pushed around by just about everyone, and here Sephiroth was, just offering him something different? The General really had been different before his transformation into the monster Cloud mostly knew him to be.

Zack looked kind of excited for some reason, as if he'd never seen Sephiroth so civilized to someone. Genesis was looking mildly interested in the offer, and Angeal was looking at Sephiroth with approval. It almost seemed like they had been responsible for Sephiroth's social training.

"But, sir, uh, I wouldn't need special training for mechanics or designing weapons..." Cloud trailed off, unsure of whether or not it would be safe to say anything more than that. "In fact, I've kind of already designed my own sword? I would have used it when I became SOLDIER and had adequate funds to build it. I could draw it out for you right now if you wanted, sir." For some unexplained reason, Cloud felt compelled to show them his skill. He wanted them to admire him in some way. He didn't want to be looked down upon like some weakling who didn't know a screw from a staple, or a blade from a hunk of weak metal.

Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, that got everyone's attention and they all looked mildly interested as Sephiroth nodded and handed Cloud the papers and clipboard in his hand. The backs of all the pages were blank, so it would provide acceptable sketching room. He was very much looking forward to seeing what the sword would be like, and it seemed even Angeal was leaning forward in anticipation. Zack was nearly falling off his chair, he looked so excited.

Feeling uncomfortable with all the eyes on him and the paper in his hand, Cloud flipped the paper over to get to the blank side and thought back to his initial plans for First Tsurugi. Titling the page with the name of his sword, he drew the complete version of it, explaining as he went, drawing neat lines. "This is what it looks like. I based the complete version off Commander Hewley's buster sword, since it was a design big enough to hold all the features I wanted. From there, it breaks up." Cloud drew the base blade on the paper beside the completed version, already, Angeal was looking pleased and impressed that something had been inspired by his sword.

Meanwhile, Sephiroth was filing all the things Cloud was saying and drawing in his mind. It was fascinating, since he'd never seen something be designed right in front of him. It seemed like Genesis was the same, and it looked to be that Zack was trying to hold in his manly squeals of how awesome Cloud was.

"This is the base blade. It had two forms, which are the battle mode and the rest mode. In the battle mode, it just opens up a bit wider in the middle, allowing me to easily put the other pieces of it together as I fight. It can be done in rest mode too, but it takes longer. From that, there's another blade," drawing out the blade that had grip attached to the blade and not the end; he turned his smile to the others in the room. "This one doesn't have a special feature except for its design. It's one of my favourites."

Setting the first page aside, he let the others look at it. He could see from the looks on everyone faces that they were surprised and even slighted awed. Even Sephiroth looked slightly taken aback.

"I'm not done yet sirs." Calling their attention back to him, he continued, already having sketched out the next four, and final, blades. "These are the last four blades that complete First Tsurugi. As you can see, it's quite complicated. Especially these two," pointing at the shorter one, he gestured to the handle. "This one's handle flips up and down so it fits properly. I would need to have a locking system on it. There are also places for six different materia along the blade, creating easy access if you aren't using a bangle. The whole this is called First Tsurugi. It's probably the most complicated thing I've ever designed."

Finishing his explanation, Cloud hadn't expected to be tackled by an excited Zack, who was now rambling about a better sword, something awesome like Cloud's except less complicated. Cloud, not thinking as it were, pushed Zack away, laughing slightly. "I would make you a sword if I could, Zack, but I don't have the money." He didn't even register that he had called Zack by his first name, and that was something that didn't go unnoticed by everyone else.

"I would pay you! Man, this is so _awesome_!" It seemed Angeal was in agreement, for he nodded and reached to ruffle Cloud's hair. Cloud suddenly felt included in something he hadn't been in before, and that was a friendship between all these people who had died. Smiling proudly, and happily, he was completely startled when a sheathed red rapier was dropped in his lap. The handle itself was something to admire.

"I want you to better my sword. I'm a strong materia user; I need something that can channel magic." Cloud's eyes widened and he nodded, carefully unsheathing the sharp red blade. He barely remembered this sword, and seeing it now, so closely, was awe inspiring.

"I can do that. How do you feel about runes and a flaming sword?"

Genesis let a cruel, yet strangely smooth smile cross his lips. "That would be… perfect." He used his fire Materia the most, after all. It sounded perfect, and suddenly this cadet was seen in a whole new light.

It was the beginning of a very beautiful friendship between the five of them, and Cloud found himself in the Sword Design Division not a day later.


	3. Genesis: Enjoy Cloud and Zack's company

Title: There and Back Again

Pairing: Genesis/Cloud

Time Travel

**A/N: **First of all, I would like to thank my two betas for helping me out! To my team, I would like to welcome *drum role* **Yekaterina Vera**! Thanks a lot (both of you) for offering and being so friendly!

So here's the next chapter! I hope you all enjoy it! I think its better than the last chapter (which I'm kind of dissatisfied with, I might go back one day and rewrite it), so I hope you think that too! I also know updates are coming fast at the moment, but they'll slow down eventually, so don't expect it to always be like this.

You all know I don't own this.

* * *

"_Most of my sweet memories were buried in the sand_

_The fire and the pain will now be coming to an end_

_How did you get to save me from this desolate wasteland_

_In your eyes I see the dawn of brighter days again."_

-Woodkid "Wasteland"

* * *

The following weeks for Cloud were filled with paper work to establish himself in the ranks of weapon designing. He didn't have any qualifications, but he had experience, which was more than what most had. After the paper work had been submitted and he'd been questioned by the head of the department, he had gotten to work on Genesis's sword.

From what he remembered in the past, Genesis had already had a magic sword, but from whatever angle he looked at the rapier, he couldn't find a single trace of it. Cloud reasoned that Genesis must not have had it done yet, and so he was loosely given a time-frame for when he was. He estimated that he was to be sixteen in two months with the help of a calendar.

The work he had been doing on Genesis's sword was quick and surprisingly simple. He had something similar on one of the blades of his sword, but it was near invisible. Cloud was surprised that when he completed his work that it was visible when in use. He had tested it just to make sure, and after four days of work, the sword was completely finished and ready to go back to its owner.

Of course, he had absolutely no idea where to find Genesis, so that resulted in Cloud going on an adventure. It took him half an hour and three stops to ask people for directions, but he eventually managed to find his way to the floor where the red commander's office was located.

He knocked on the door three times and waited for an answer. He got one quickly, but it wasn't Genesis's voice that he heard. Rather, it had been Zack's. Opening the door and stepping inside, he expected to see just Zack, but it seemed as if Zack was just there to bug Genesis, who was hunched over some paperwork on his less than tidy desk. "Hello sirs. I've, um, completed your sword work, Commander Rhapsodos."

Genesis looked up quickly at his voice, and before Cloud knew it, the red rapier was being taken from him and a pouch of gil was being shoved in his hand. Stuttering a bit, Cloud stared at Genesis questioningly.

"You didn't think I wasn't going to pay you, did you? This is very fine work. Would you like to join me in the training room to test it out?" Cloud nodded dumbly as he watched Genesis sheath the sword he had been admiring. Genesis left the room quickly, and Zack and Cloud were left to follow after him. Cloud was quite anxious about what Genesis would think. He might have said it was 'fine work', but that might change when he saw it in action.

They took the elevator two floors down, to floor forty-nine, where the training rooms were. As they stepped out (Zack babbling about this and that as they went), Cloud looked around almost excitedly. He hadn't seen anything of this building in a very long time, so he barely remembered it. He was excited to refresh his memory and see where everything was again. He was so busy looking around that he bumped into Genesis when they stopped walking.

Blushing and muttering an apology, Cloud stepped back to stand beside Zack, entering the training room last before the door closed. "Zack, you work the controls for the monster, Cloud… You just watch." Genesis chuckled and entered the training area as Zack excitedly set up a monster for Genesis to fight. When that was done, Zack turned happily to Cloud and gestured for him to come closer so they could talk and watch.

As they watched Genesis run a hand down his blade, Cloud could see the awe in both Genesis and Zack's eyes, and the latter let out a low whistle as the blade lit up. "Wow Spike, you really out did yourself! Why are you so cool?! Aw man, when I become first, I really want you to make my sword!"

Cloud smiled and nodded, not taking his eyes off the graceful commander. The way he wielded his sword was an art in itself. It didn't compare at all to the fighting he had seen when he was degrading…

Cloud's smile suddenly dropped as he realized something. Genesis would still degrade. Genesis… would he end up deserting again? Cloud had to prevent that so the future wouldn't happen. He hadn't put much thought into it yet, as he had been enjoying a new life in the past, but now that the thoughts were there, he couldn't push them away. There were so many things to fix. The Nibelheim mission being the most important, and then close behind that was Genesis's degradation and Angeal's 'transformation'. Neither of them were monsters, and Cloud was determined to save them.

There was also Zack's death… but if the Nibelheim mission never happened, than that wouldn't either. Maybe he could go up to Nibelheim under the guise of looking for rare metal and burn the mansion? He would have to awaken Vincent so he wouldn't die. How would he explain himself to the former Turk? Nothing less than the truth would be believed.

Cloud jumped when a hand was placed on his shoulder. Looking up, he saw the concern in Zack's ultra-bright eyes. "Hey Cloud, you alright?" Zack had that look on his face. It was the look that Cloud recognized from when they were running away on that truck, full of worry. It made Cloud feel woozy.

Shaking his head in the negative, Cloud found himself overwhelmed with the memories of his past. It was all sinking in now, where and when he was, who he was with, and what he had the power to stop. Taking a few steps back from Zack, Cloud put a hand to his head, clenching his eyes shut.

"_At least someone is keeping up!"_

"_Hey, what's so funny about that?! You know Gongaga?"_

"_Ditto Nibelheim."_

Cloud didn't know what was going on, but he was having flashbacks. Why would they happen now? The images flashed by in his mind as words reached his ears. He didn't realize he was on the floor until he felt someone propping him against a wall and calling for Genesis.

"_Embrace your dreams."_

"_So you want to be in SOLDIER? Hang in there."_

"_You're gonna… You're gonna live."_

They were on the cliff side now, Zack was dying. Zack was… disappearing. "Zack, no!" grasping at his head like he'd done when he'd first arrived, Cloud didn't even register the cold hands on his face.

"_You'll be… my living legacy."_

Cloud gave a strangled sounding sob. He wanted it to stop. Why was he having flashbacks now? Why did they have to be of Zack? Forgetting where he was for a moment, Cloud continued to sob into his knees. He hadn't realized when he'd curled into a ball.

He felt as if the world was coming down on him. Cloud could feel the weight of his existence again, and it wasn't pleasant. He wanted it to stop.

He needed to escape.

And he would have too, if he hadn't passed out.

* * *

Genesis paced in his office, unsure of what to think at the moment. It had happened so suddenly. One moment everything had been going pleasant, and the next he'd heard Zack calling out to him. He raced to the puppy's side only to find Cloud a sobbing mess on the floor. It was a mystery and Zack wasn't giving him any answers. The only thing Zack kept saying was he didn't know what happened.

Apparently one moment Cloud had been watching him fight with admiration, or so Zack said, and the next moment he'd been spacing out about something, then he'd been clutching at his head and crying on the floor.

Zack must have done _something_. The cute little former cadet didn't look the type to do those things.

There was also what he'd said. Cloud had cried out, 'Zack, no!', and had started sobbing harder. It fueled his belief that Zack had done something in the past to the blond, something so terrible that it caused this reaction.

At the moment though, Zack was hovering around the couch in his office where said blond was resting. His breathing and heart rate had been fast at first, but they were calmed down now, much to his unexplainable relief.

Turning his harsh gaze to Zack he finally snapped. "Zack! What the hell did you do to Cloud? Why did he say that?" Genesis stalked closer to the other SOLDIER. Zack, no matter how oblivious and puppy-like he was sometimes, could instantly sense the danger in this situation. It seemed that Genesis was weirdly attached to Cloud, despite barely knowing him.

Backing away from Cloud so they didn't end up hurting him, he held up his hands as a sign of surrender and innocence in the situation. "I swear on the planet that I didn't do anything! I asked him if he was alright, that's all, and then he started freaking out! I swear I've never met him before that day in the infirmary!" Zack inched towards the door, hoping that if Genesis attacked he'd be able to escape before getting hit.

He was about to slip out the door and run for Angeal's office when they both heard a groan from Cloud's direction. Genesis stopped in the middle of gesturing wildly and angrily, quickly turning on his heels and marching over to Cloud hurriedly.

As Cloud's bright blue eyes blinked open and he focused on Genesis after a moment. "Commander Rhapsodos…?" His eyebrows drew together and he sat up slowly, looking around he noticed he was back in the office.

"Call me Genesis. You passed out in the training room. What happened…?" It was unusual for Genesis to be so forward, but he was admittedly worried about their new friend. It wasn't often he felt so strongly about someone.

As Cloud rubbed his head, he could feel the dull ache of a headache coming, he sighed. He didn't want to have to rely on outright lying. He'd much rather prefer to twist the truth just slightly. That way when it came time to tell the _real_ truth they wouldn't feel too betrayed, he hoped. Placing his feet on the floor, Cloud leaned back into the cushioned couch, barely registering that Zack was also there.

"I had a flashback. I have some… unsavory memories, and I guess Zack triggered them when he asked if I was okay." While crossing his arms Cloud sighed. He hoped that would be enough. They didn't need to know the memory (because really, it was just all of them). He just hoped he hadn't said anything…. strange while he was in la-la land.

Genesis also crossed his arms before returning to behind his desk. He leaned back in his chair, feeling as if he could finally relax, even if just slightly, now that he knew Cloud was awake. It wouldn't due for their new sword designer to suddenly die on them while on his watch. After all, it would look extremely bad on Genesis's record. "Why did you mention Zack's name when you were flash-backing…?" he was very curious about what could have possibly happened to Cloud in his past that would have such a negative effect. He knew he would need to wait for the blonde to trust him more to find out.

Cloud frowned while Genesis busied himself with something on his desk. Glancing at Zack, he noticed that all of the puppy's attention was on him. It made Cloud feel uncomfortable, knowing Zack felt so serious about this. He wondered briefly if Zack felt guilty about causing his flashback. Cloud really needed to watch his thoughts now that he knew things like this could occur to such a degree. "I used to know a different person named Zack when I was a child. He… died in an event before I came to ShinRa." Cloud averted his eyes away from both the Commander and Zack, knowing they would be more curious than ever.

Coming forward slowly, with an apologetic look on his face, Zack held his hands together the way someone would when they were praying. "I'm so sorry, Cloud. Will you ever forgive me?" the sight of a big eyed Zack was just too much to bear in that moment, and Cloud didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He ended up laughing of course, and couldn't stop himself from ruffling his friend's hair.

"Of course I forgive you! There was nothing to forgive in the first place, it wasn't your fault." Zack predictably still looked guilty. Cloud had always known Zack had an almost overpowering guilty conscience. Cloud patted the couch beside him in hopes that maybe Zack would sit down and he'd be able to get to know his friend again. He realized he really didn't know anything about anyone but Zack and Sephiroth, and even then he didn't know much. He would need to fix that if he was going to fix the others.

Once Zack was comfortable on the couch, it was silent for a time. Genesis had gone back to the paperwork he had been doing that morning, and Cloud was fidgeting his hands almost awkwardly, looking around the room to find something to do. Zack realized it was probably up to him to get the blond to open up all the way and talk freely. When Zack started asking him questions Cloud felt relieved, knowing he had always been a bit socially stunted himself.

They talked for a while, asking each other questions and just generally joking around. Every so often Genesis would butt in and tell them something about himself. It wasn't long before they were all laughing at stories that were being told by Genesis, mostly of when he, Angeal and Sephiroth were moving up the ranks. Apparently they'd been troublemakers, much like Zack was now. Eventually a SOLDIER third had come bearing more paperwork for the commander and the two were kicked out, but that hadn't stopped them from talking and even having a bit of lunch together. In no time at all Cloud felt that he now knew Zack much better than he had ever before, even with the man's memories still somewhere in his mind.

Soon enough it came time for Cloud to get back to work. The weapons department had been looking for him apparently. The messenger had said something about looking at the newly built robots. With that in mind he had trudged back to the weapon building floor with a solemn goodbye to Zack. He supposed his time in ShinRa couldn't be all fun and games.

It was well into the evening before Cloud was allowed to go back to his new ShinRa issued apartment. He was extremely tired and felt that he could do with a very good rest. He'd hopefully sleep through the night, though the flashback he'd had earlier that day told him otherwise. Whenever he had a really bad flashback he'd have nightmares. It was like a two-in-one package and something that Cloud was not looking forward to, especially if he had to work the next day. It seemed ShinRa never took a break from creating weapons and things to destroy the planet. Sometimes he wondered why he'd even bothered with joining ShinRa in the first place, but thoughts of Zack and what the future could turn out to be stopped those thoughts in their tracks. He had a purpose here.

After taking a long hot shower Cloud dressed in his night clothes and got into bed. More often than not he felt strange sleeping in an empty apartment after so long of sharing with one person or another. He shrugged off the strange feeling of loneliness and closed his eyes, ready for sleep to take him. He couldn't help but hope that the next day would be just as good as the one that had just ended. He'd rather enjoyed the time he'd spent with Genesis and Zack.


	4. Sephiroth: Socialize and Challenge

**Title:** There and Back Again

**Pairing**: Genesis/Cloud

**Time Travel**

**A/N: **So this chapter's just a tiiiny bit late, but that doesn't matter! Its just in time for Halloween~~ Today's my favourite, and to make everything better, Assassin's Creed 3 came out yesterday! I'm so excited to pick up my copy haha. Anyway, if any of you are roleplayers out there, I have two roleplaying accounts! A Genesis and an Arc (from Final Fantasy III) One is thecruelfateofrhapsodos (they're both at tumblr) and the other is arcisis, so if you ever want to stop by and roleplay with me, feel free!

Also, thanks to both of my lovely betas for going through the trouble of editing/looking over my stuff, I hope you enjoy!

Also a reminder that I don't own, like always haha.

* * *

"_Another Saturday, another careless move_

_Tells the world that you're thinking of what to do_

_A window opens up, and someone calls your name_

_But I can tell you don't know how to play this game"_

-Two Door Cinema Club "Come Back Home"

* * *

Was Scarlet serious?! The woman had practically forced a 'young thing like him' to get her coffee. Not just any coffee though, oh no, Scarlet wanted the coffee from _Sephiroth's_ office because apparently it _tasted better._

Cloud would have gone to the infantryman cafeteria and gotten her that nasty coffee if he hadn't thought she'd know and punish him by cutting his pay. Grumbling to himself, Cloud climbed into the elevator, ready to rise up into the SOLDIER offices floor. His eye twitched when he noticed that he'd probably be sharing the whole ride with a Turk, and Reno no less. This, or course, made him feel cautious though, he reigned in his angry grumbling for now. He didn't want to mistakenly give something away.

Pressing the button for the floor he needed, he noticed that yes, he would indeed be riding with the Turk the whole entire way. Reno seemed to be going to the sixty-second floor, while he was going to the fifty-third. Shifting in his borrowed mechanic's outfit, he wondered if the redhead would say anything to him. It wasn't usual for mechanics to go up to the floor with the offices on it; in fact, mechanics weren't even allowed up there without supervision.

Although… Cloud wasn't really a mechanic. He'd just been helping out with some struggling new workers for ShinRa and hadn't wanted to get stains on his clothes. It was too late to take it off now though; they were probably already a quarter of the way there. Damn elevators were slow.

It seemed Reno couldn't take the silence for very long. He started chatting away about things Cloud had no idea about (or things he just didn't care about, he couldn't decide which), and pretty soon, Reno started asking questions. Cloud did his best to answer them as shortly and obscurely as possible, because personally, he had no desire for a Turk to be curious about him. He already had the General and the two Commanders on his back about several things.

He briefly wondered if they'd looked deeper into his file and what the teachers had been saying about him. He barely remembered if he had been smart the last time around, and if he hadn't… well, he'd be in a bit of trouble then. He'd have a very difficult time explaining everything or making up lies.

"So where ya from?" Cloud twitched. Reno's voice had disrupted his thoughts once again.

"Nibelheim."

"Where ya going?"

"Sephiroth's office."

"Why?"

"Scarlet wants his coffee machine."

Well that was a lie. She just wanted a cup of his coffee. If he could spread a rumour about her being a coffee machine stealer though… maybe the president would get rid of her. She was brilliant at creating weapons, but to be frank, her personality was horrible. Cloud was glad he only had to deal with her on Tuesdays, when it was his turn to be her cater boy.

He had no idea how he'd even gotten pulled into that. One Tuesday he had just been shoved into her office, and she had _purred_ at him to get her some 'healthy' snacks. Cloud was disgusted by her in more ways than one.

Reno let out a low whistle at that, "She's still making you grunts get her coffee, yo?" Cloud would have given anything to point out that he wasn't a grunt anymore. Damn this stupid mechanic's outfit… although, Cloud preferred it to any suit he would have had to wear. Cloud hated suits more than anything; they were just so stiff and stuffy. Cloud only nodded to Reno before going quiet. He wasn't in the mood to talk to someone from his past. He didn't even like the Reno of the future anyway.

Cloud waited for the elevator to get to his desired floor, and his mind went back to why Scarlet would want coffee from _Sephiroth's_ office. Did she even realize what kind of position she was putting Cloud in? Well, obviously not, Scarlet didn't know he was from the future, but if he had to associate with Sephiroth, than that opened up a chance for questions. In all honesty, Clouds had been avoiding the firsts for all he was worth. They had questions that he couldn't answer; for example, why had the mako come with him? When his eyes didn't glow he could pass it off as their natural colour, but it was just so hard to explain. Aerith hadn't even mentioned that it was going to come with him!

Hadn't she said something about physical things not being able to travel in time? Cloud didn't know what that meant for him. It was even harder now because he didn't have Aerith in the lifestream to clear things up for him. What had Hojo done to him that could have caused all this? Cloud had absolutely no clue.

Cloud sighed and the elevator made a 'ding' sound, alerting him to his floor. Before the elevator doors closed behind him, he could hear Reno saying, "Seeya around, blondie!" It made Cloud's eye twitch as he made his way to Sephiroth's office. Gaia, he hoped the man wasn't in.

Getting to Sephiroth's office door, Cloud paused briefly before knocking on the door. He hoped and prayed that Sephiroth wouldn't call him into his office, but as luck would have it, Sephiroth's smooth tone reached his ears through the door, and Cloud felt his heart sink into his shoes.

The reason Cloud was so nervous to interact with Sephiroth was an event that happened only a few days ago. Cloud had been doing his usual thing, looking over some plans and directing some new mechanics when he wasn't busy. Surprisingly, being a weapon's designer wasn't all that hard. The thing was, something happened that he really would rather not talk, or even think about.

Exactly three days ago, Sephiroth had come into Cloud's little mini office, where Cloud was casually standing by the window and watching the cadets do their training. To think, not a month ago he would have been down there as well, doing those sweaty workouts and being pushed around by the others. It was during these not so important musings that Sephiroth had snuck up on him. Of course, it obviously hadn't been on purpose, but that hadn't stopped Cloud from, well, 'casually' attacking the General.

At least Cloud hadn't broken anything. The worst he had done was bruise Sephiroth's body just slightly, and as he recalled, he also left a light cut on his left cheek from where Cloud had pulled a knife out of his sleeve. It had alarmed Sephiroth enough, and Cloud thanked everything he could think to thank that Sephiroth was fast enough to dodge what might have been a killing blow. The knife had been aimed for the General's eye.

So it stands to reason that Sephiroth was extremely suspicious of his existence now, and currently, Cloud was being forced to wait for _coffee_ while in a small area with the man he was trying to avoid. Things weren't looking up for Cloud. In fact, he could practically see his death beyond the door he had just opened.

Alas, death did not greet him. Instead, he got a raised eyebrow from Sephiroth as he watched Cloud practically slink over to the coffee machine and turn it on. Sephiroth didn't like coffee; it tasted bad and it wasn't like he needed it anyway.

"What are you doing, Strife?" Sephiroth watched as the former cadet stiffened a bit and turned to look at him blankly. With a funny feeling in his chest, Sephiroth found himself amused more than anything else. This always happened once a day, no matter who it was, but they could never give him a straight answer, and they always seemed to be mechanics or from the weapon's department. He hoped that day he'd get an answer.

Cloud didn't like the look in Sephiroth's eyes one bit. It told him of curiosity and horrible, horrible amusement. The only time Cloud could ever remember Sephiroth being amused was when Cloud was fighting for his life against him. It half frightened Cloud, making him almost convinced that Sephiroth had come back from the lifestream of the future to haunt him. "I'm, uh, getting coffee for Scarlet. She… likes your coffee machine, I guess."

Sephiroth almost, _almost_ chuckled at that answer. Of course it was Scarlet, why hadn't he thought of that? The woman was strangely obsessed with him, after all. It must have been what Genesis referred to as his 'dashing good looks', whatever that meant. He motioned for Cloud to sit in the chair across from his desk. The coffee would take a while to drip and the blond was looking a bit too exhausted to be on his feet. From what he knew, Cloud had been doing everything available to keep himself occupied.

Which was strange, because Sephiroth had looked into his file not too long ago, and it had shown that Cloud was prone to sleeping through his classes and not working very hard when it came to physical training. When Sephiroth had first seen the blond in the infirmary that first day, he hadn't looked very deeply, but now that he had, his interest was piqued. Not only by that, but by the fact that Cloud had almost taken him out with a simple knife. Sephiroth almost felt it would be in the best interest of his curiosity to tell Genesis and Angeal these things and recruit their help on investigating the blond.

Cloud scrambled a bit to do as Sephiroth said, and as he sat their awkwardly, he watched Sephiroth think with that weird look in his eyes. Cloud just hoped the coffee would drip faster. Why were all the machines so slow in this building? First the elevator had stuck him with Reno for more than a few minutes, and now he was forced to wait in Sephiroth's office for some coffee (for a woman he didn't even like, at that). This really didn't seem to be Cloud's day. If this kept up, Cloud felt as if he would start hating Tuesdays.

As they sat together in relative silence, Sephiroth watched Cloud sweat a tiny bit, and as they sat there, he realized that Cloud was probably waiting for him to say something. Sephiroth, at the last minute, decided that today would be the perfect day to question Cloud a little bit and perhaps get some answers to his questions about the spiky-haired blond. Sitting in his chair with a straight back (as always), Sephiroth turned his full attention to Cloud and opened his mouth to ask his questions.

"So, _Cloud_, I've been looking at your files recently, and I have some questions." He saw Cloud's eyes widened fractionally, and he seemed kind of scared? Sephiroth filed that away for later examination as he leaned forward and brought his hands together to rest on his desk.

Cloud truly was frightened. Here he was, sitting in front of Sephiroth, and about to be questioned about the exact things he had wished not to be looked into. Feeling tense, Cloud tried to relax himself in Sephiroth's presence, but failed. Sephiroth was using _that_ tone of voice. The one he had used to say his name in battle. It put Cloud on edge, and he waited for Sephiroth to ask his questions. It was at this time that his senses were telling him to _get the hell out of there._

"It has come to my attention that you are a very… inconsistent person. May I ask what brought about this change in attitude?" Sephiroth was staring intently at Cloud, making him even more nervous. Shifting a bit restlessly, Cloud looked everywhere but Sephiroth while he thought of an answer to appease him. Cloud felt he was digging his own grave though. Whatever his answer was would hurt him in the long run when the truth came out.

Because the truth would come out, eventually. Cloud wasn't as naïve to think that it would stay hidden forever. He just liked to postpone the inevitable; he always had. Still not looking at Sephiroth, and instead looking at a cheesy desk ornament that was likely from Zack, Cloud answered, "I… felt that I needed a change in pace. You gave me the opportunity to do something I truly liked, so I've been applying myself to what I do. Is that not alright?" When he ended the sentence, he finally looked towards Sephiroth to see his reaction. He answered, and it hadn't actually been too big of a lie. In fact, that was kind of the truth, in a way.

Sephiroth shook his head, wondering why he had not thought that was the case. Still, he was suspicious. "Your records show you were abysmal at combat. Our confrontation a few days ago says otherwise, so what's your answer to that, Cloud?"

Cloud twitched when Sephiroth said his name. He could feel his nerves in his chest. It was making his heart beat fast and his stomach flip, and internally, Cloud was cursing himself. What was he supposed to say? Taking a deep breath to calm his nerves, Cloud let it out slowly and soundlessly. He tried to clear his mind of the thoughts that were racing there, to no avail. He would have to wing it.

"Sorry about that, sir. It's just, you startled me, and I just reacted. I didn't mean to hurt you." Taking another breath, Cloud continued. "My records aren't the truth, sir. Like I said, I've been applying myself now. I've also been practicing in the privacy of my apartment." His living room was certainly big enough for that, if one were to move the couches and tables against the walls they would be able to practice simple katas.

Sephiroth nodded to Cloud's apology. He would accept that, for now. "Thank you for answering my questions." It still didn't explain the mako, he would have to look into that again. "If you're not opposed to the idea, I would like to test your skill, perhaps next week? I believe I'm free on Wednesday." He smirked at Cloud's wide eyes look. Sephiroth was sure it was because it was rare to see the General outside of his office, let alone spar. Cloud must have been surprised.

Cloud was pretty close to panicking at this point. Sephiroth wanted to fight him and he didn't even have First Tsurugi. Any other blade would pale in comparison, and perhaps even break. The dual weapon option would also be sorely missed. What was he supposed to say? He couldn't refuse, it was _Sephiroth._ "Alright, I'll be sure to clear my schedule for then… if you don't mind sir, I should be on my way. The coffee looks to be done."

Cloud made sure to get Sephiroth's approval before standing and moving over to the coffee machine once more. After accomplishing his mission of getting Scarlet coffee, he turned to Sephiroth once more to give him a weak salute. Before he left, he heard Sephiroth say, "Give Scarlet my regards."

Quickly, Cloud carefully made his way back to the elevator and to the floor he had previously been on. No one was in the elevator this time, and Cloud was thankful for that. He took the few minutes he had in the elevator to calm his racing heart. He felt sick to his stomach.

He would have to fight Sephiroth next week, on Wednesday. He would have to fight _Sephiroth_, the bane of his existence and the one who had killed Aerith _and_ had attempted to take over the world. What if he messed up and let something slip! Closing his eyes tightly, Cloud heard the elevator ding. Composing himself quickly, Cloud exited the elevator and returned to Scarlet's office. He resolved that he would have to up his training a bit and perhaps ask Zack to spar with him. He would also either need to create an appropriate weapon, or find one that would suit his needs for the Wednesday battle.

Damn Scarlet, he officially despised the woman. She was the whole reason he had to involve himself briefly with Sephiroth. She was the reason he now had to '_test his skills' _against the General, and all for a stupid cup of coffee! Cloud was now sure he hated Tuesdays the most.

* * *

Sephiroth sighed when the blond left his office, and he pressed the button on his office phone so he could contact his secretary. "Please put me through to Commander Hewley." Pinching the bridge of his nose, he waited for his friend's voice to come from the phone.

"Angeal, its Sephiroth." Leaning back into his chair and relaxing, he played with his pen as he spoke to his friend. "Is Genesis with you? …Good. Tell him I want to invite both you and him to watch a bit of a spar between myself and our new friend in the weapon's department." Sephiroth flinched a bit when Angeal raised his voice, demanding to know why he had challenged someone who hadn't even made it through a year of the cadets program.

"He almost took me out a few days ago, with a knife. Apparently he doesn't take well to people coming up to him from behind… I know, I was surprised too." Sephiroth looked around, observing the room and his organized paperwork. "I asked him a few questions today and he said he had started applying to himself. I'm still suspicious, and I wanted to test his skills."

Sephiroth sighed again as he heard Angeal go into lecture mode about how 'dishonourable' it was to challenge someone so under his skill level. It seemed Angeal had ignored what he'd said about Cloud almost taking him out with a knife. "Relax Angeal, everything will go fine. Our duel is on Wednesday, in the morning. I would like it if you were discrete about your presence… yes, you may bring Zack. Make sure you all stay in the observation room." He could hear the exhaustion in Angeal's tone as he confirmed that Zack, Genesis, and he would be there. Sephiroth felt lighter, and he knew that if his friends were there they would at least be able to step in if he went overboard. He didn't want to hurt the former cadet too badly.

"Yes, I will see you at dinner tonight; I don't have much paperwork left to do. Good bye." Sephiroth hang up after Angeal had said his farewells, and he got back to his paperwork. He was truthful when he said he didn't have much left, just a few more reports and he would be finished for the day. It was late afternoon anyway, and he was just about ready to call it a day.

He was looking forward to their usual Tuesday dinner at Angeal's apartment.


	5. Cloud: Seek and Create

Title: There and Back Again

Pairing: Genesis/Cloud

Time Travel

**A/N: **Hello! The next chapter came pretty fast, huh? I kind of enjoyed writing this one (heck, I enjoy writing this whole story. I have the ending all planned out already!) (Its just the middle stuff I need to worry about... haha) ANYWAY! Next chapter is here and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do! I am aware I have some large issues to work through but yeah, I'll fix whatever's wrong with this story when its complete (haha like the second chapter for example, that one was a disaster!)

I don't own anything, enjoy!

* * *

"_He stumbled into faith and thought_

"_God this is all there is?"_

_The pictures in his mind arose_

_And began to breathe"_

_-_Regina Spektor "Blue Lips"

* * *

The next couple of days were spent creating, experimenting, and all together failing on Cloud's part. Everything he came up with let him down in the testing department, and at this rate it was looking like he'd have to use a ShinRa issued sword. It was now Friday and he'd pretty much given up on coming up with something as good as First Tsurugi. His training had been coming along nicely, at least. If anything, Cloud had pretty much perfected his technique with the daggers he tended to keep on him (at least he thought so anyway). He couldn't rely on them for fighting Sephiroth though; he really needed a sword or two.

He'd also need to get in contact with Zack soon to help him train. Cloud, as it were, didn't have access to the VR Rooms for some serious, realistic training. He had no idea how to get into contact with the excitable second though. He assumed he'd have to go through Zack's mentor, Angeal.

Cloud hadn't spoken with Angeal at all outside of their first meeting. The man seemed to be a workaholic of sorts, and if Cloud had to bet, he'd bet Angeal was always either in his office or down in the work out rooms giving pointers to the cadets and lower classed SOLDIER. He would check the man's office first, not wanting to have to make the extra trip to the next building over where the SOLDIER and Cadets were trained.

It was lucky that he had made that decision, because it turned out that the man was indeed in his office. It made Cloud sigh in relief, knowing he wouldn't have to waste time searching for the big First. Angeal's secretary had buzzed that he was there, and thank god the man wasn't too busy. Cloud was let in almost instantaneously, and much to his surprise, Zack was already there.

Cloud supposed he should've known, but he couldn't remember anything of Angeal's and Zack's relationship; not even Zack's scattered memories had helped him there. It seemed they were extremely close though, as both mentor/student, and friends.

It seemed he had been expected for some reason though, because as soon as he entered, he found himself under Zack's arm and being given a noogie. Cloud gave a noise of annoyance at that and jabbed Zack in the side with his hand, feeling satisfied when Zack made an 'oomph' noise in return. After he was released, Cloud straightened up, his face burning with slight embarrassment at being subjected to something so childish in front of someone he hardly knew.

The blond was just about to salute when he realized he didn't have to anymore, not being part of the SOLDIER department anymore. Settling for a respectful nod, Cloud shuffled uncomfortably from foot to foot until Angeal sat back in his chair with his arms crossed. His left eyebrow was lifted in question, and Cloud suddenly felt like he was being scrutinized like an experiment again. "I… was looking for Zack and thought I'd come and ask you. I guess it's not needed now."

Angeal nodded in acceptance. "I assume this is about your duel with Sephiroth?"

Cloud nodded, a nervous look coming upon his face. Turning to Zack he asked, "Zack, could you train with me for a few days? I want to be at least slightly prepared." At Zack's enthusiastic nodding, Cloud relaxed, though he wasn't prepared for Zack to whistle lowly and give a comment,

"Spike, we got our work cut out for us! Do you even know how to wield a sword properly? You weren't doing so great when you were a cadet." Cloud grimaced, unprepared to answer the question. He supposed he had to defend himself though, because in some roundabout way, Zack had just insulted him.

"I'll be fine if you help me out. I've been practicing, and I think you'll be surprised." Zack must have looked at his profile to find out that information, or at least asked Sephiroth about him. He knew the silver haired man had definitely researched him. That fact set him on edge, but he was willing to ignore it to prove…

Well, Cloud didn't know what he wanted to prove; in fact, he didn't even have to prove anything. Sephiroth just wanted to test his skill, that was all. If he failed it didn't matter.

Perhaps Cloud wanted to prove to himself that he was strong in this body. He knew he wasn't up to the strength he had been before coming back. His body was weak, despite having some of the mako come with him. He wanted to show himself that he _could_help these people, despite his disadvantage. That was the whole reason he had even opened up like that in the beginning, hadn't it? He had promised himself he would save them.

But how could he save someone who felt so far away…? He knew he could help Zack, and maybe even Sephiroth, but how was he to rescue the other two from their fates? He wasn't even completely sure of their situation. He barely remembered the state Genesis had been in Modeoheim back in the future, since he had been busy with Hollander. The best thing Cloud could even come up with at that moment was—

"—oud? Cloud?" He was snapped out of his thoughts by Zack calling his name and shaking his shoulder lightly. Cloud cursed himself inwardly, knowing he should have been paying more attention.

"Sorry, I was thinking…"

"I thought we'd lost you for a minute there! Anyway, I'm not busy now, so do you want to go to the training fields? We can get lunch after, if you want. I want to see your moves!" Cloud was grateful they hadn't asked what he'd been thinking about, and he was happy to see that Zack was so enthusiastic about helping him out despite his previous insult.

Smiling just slightly, Cloud nodded. "Zack, don't forget you have a mission later."

They both turned to Angeal, who was watching the two of them with interest. Cloud wondered what was so interesting; it was just Zack and him after all.

Zack, being the calm, happy person he was, waved off Angeal with a nod, "I know, I know, monster elimination in the slums at nine sharp!" as he spoke, he started pushing Cloud out the door, and before the door closed, Zack shouted a quick good bye. Behind the door, neither Cloud nor Zack saw Angeal smile gently and sigh, going back to his paperwork that Zack had disturbed.

* * *

On their way to the training grounds, there were few words spoken. It was mostly Zack rambling about how his morning had been and how excited he was about his mission. Apparently he'd not been on many missions recently, much to his disappointment.

At one point on their journey, Zack had asked Cloud about his morning, and there really hadn't been much to say on his part. He'd mentioned his nerves at having to fight the general, but that was about it. His morning had been rather uneventful, and he wasn't quite as open about his feelings as Zack was.

Once they'd entered the large grounds on which SOLDIER's trained, Zack lead Cloud over to the weapons' shed, and he held it open for the blond as Cloud examined the weapons that were available. Cloud personally didn't know what he should choose. He thought of going with a dual blade, but one that didn't click together like his old sword just didn't seem right to him and in the end, he ended up going with the buster, much like the one Angeal carried around (and the one that looked suspiciously like the one Zack had carried before his death. Cloud wondered how he'd gotten it).

"A buster, really Cloud? I'm surprised you can lift it…" Cloud turned to Zack and found his dark haired friend to be looking doubtful. Lifting the buster and moving to an area where he could swing it around, he showed Zack just how well he could handle it, even though it did feel uncharacteristically heavy in his hands. He should have practiced with one before, he realized. Today he guessed he would just be testing his endurance with the large blade.

"I'll be fine, Zack. We should warm up."

Placing the blade gently on the ground, Cloud followed his words and started stretching, warming himself up for a real spar. It had been so long since he'd actually fought against someone; he forgot what it felt like. He was almost looking forward to it, though he made sure to remind himself to hold back. He wasn't supposed to be so strong…

Zack, thankfully, just shrugged his shoulders and followed Cloud's example. Cloud didn't know what was up with him today; Zack had been acting strangely serious. It almost made Cloud unsettled, considering he was used to the man being happy and playful.

Sighing and shaking himself out of his thoughts once more, Cloud turned his serious blue eyes to meet Zack's own bright ones, and picking up his sword, he got ready to go on the defensive.

It turned out to be the right decision. Zack rushed at him, the buster sword he had chosen held tightly, yet strangely relaxed in his grip. The two large swords clashed, and Cloud could feel the force behind the hit.

Pushing against Zack's weight was hard for Cloud's smaller body, but he managed somehow. He even managed to give a swing, which was expertly dodged by Zack.

After that, they went back and forth for almost twenty minutes before Cloud let himself feel the exhaustion that was consuming him. Yielding, Cloud sat on the dirt, sword lying motionlessly beside him. Zack didn't even look very out of breath, and Cloud found himself jealous of that fact; Cloud himself was breathing heavily and sweating like nobody's business. If he'd known he'd be so weak, Cloud would have asked to do this long ago.

"Man, you lasted pretty long! I'm surprised." Cloud nodded while regaining his breath, and when he looked up at Zack, he found himself being stared at.

"Is something wrong?" Cloud couldn't help but ask the question. Zack just looked so serious and… concerned? It was like he was worried about something. Cloud couldn't even fathom what it was. He hoped Zack wouldn't ignore him.

Zack shrugged, doing exactly what Cloud had feared he would do; brush it off. "It's nothing. I was just thinking about something. How 'bout we get some lunch? I'm starving!" as if on cue, Cloud's own stomach made a rumbling noise, and he flushed slightly when Zack laughed.

Once Cloud was standing again and after they'd put away their weapons, they made their way inside. Cloud was pretty sure he stank like sweat and dirt, and he couldn't wait to get clean. After all that Hojo had done to him in the past (future?), Cloud hadn't broken into a sweat unless fighting Sephiroth, and even then it hadn't been in the slightest bit smelly. While he didn't like the means in which those things came about, he had been grateful for them in the long run. If he had the choice though, he wouldn't go through all that again; if he caught Hojo's interest this time, he would kill the man before getting captured.

On their way to the cafeteria, it was almost silent, save for a couple of comments here and there. Zack seemed preoccupied with something, and Cloud prayed to god that his friend wouldn't ask him anything he couldn't answer.

Thankfully, Zack didn't say anything, but his actions spoke loud enough to Cloud. It was too late though; they had trained together and Zack knew to some extent how strong he was, and what he could do. Zack was suspicious, Cloud knew it. It seemed liked Cloud couldn't hide anything as hard as he tried. He just made mistake after mistake; his first being the one he had made when he arrived, which was catch the attention of Sephiroth and the other Firsts. Cloud should have just laid low and returned to the cadet program.

With a slightly heavier than usual heart, Cloud had lunch with Zack, and gradually their conversation became less scattered and they were talking about how Cloud's job was going. Cloud told Zack all about how much he hated Scarlet and how he spent a lot of his time educating the new mechanics. It seemed the department didn't have much need for sword designers at the moment. The company must have thought the standard use swords they made were good enough, when in reality they weren't; everyone had different styles and different weight limits.

Cloud went on a little longer about how he'd accumulated a few new sword sketches and notes on materia usage in battles and the like when paired with weapons. Zack looked eager to learn these things, and Cloud was glad he wasn't being boring. It was soon after that that he asked Zack how he was and what exactly he did. Cloud didn't really know a lot about Zack from either timelines.

So Cloud absorbed the information Zack told him. He was told of the missions, the bad ones and the good, and how he did a lot with Angeal in and out of work. Cloud even found out that the two shared an apartment, though Zack mentioned that was more because Angeal was his mentor. Cloud was… happy for the information about his friend. After the incident in Nibelheim, Cloud had a hard time remembering anything in the previous years before it had happened, and only if he focused really, really hard would he be able to remember things briefly. It usually left him with a headache.

They chatted for a while more before Zack had to go. Apparently he would've been late for something Angeal had in mind for them if he didn't go. Cloud accepted it and stood himself, and he felt incredibly happy with that day despite realizing his mistakes. He would just have to work around them as best as he could.

"Today was fun Cloud; we should hang out more often! And, uh, keep practicing your sword stuff!" Cloud ducked his head when Zack moved to ruffle his hair, though he didn't avoid it. It was an awkward goodbye, he noted.

"Yeah, I'll see you around, Zack." Cloud was smiling as they went their separate ways, waving quietly before returning to his apartment. He needed a stronger sword, something big but light… or maybe just light. If he got rid of the weight and size that would undoubtedly come with a buster, he might just end up doing better against Sephiroth than he had that day against Zack. A lighter sword meant exhausting his energy more slowly, which would give him more time against Sephiroth, to test his true limits in this timeline.

But… if he lasted longer against Sephiroth, or lasted against him for any amount of time at all, that was boost their suspicions without a doubt. Cloud, now back in his apartment and sitting at his table, placed his head in his hands; he was making everything so much more complicated for himself. It was giving him a headache, and he was half convinced that he should just throw caution to the wind and attack at full force. It would gain him attention, mostly bad, but then at least all he would have to worry about was gaining Hojo's interest.

After all, there were some perks to being a designer. Because of where Cloud was in ShinRa, they could only do so much. There was a lack of sword and weapon designers, so every single one was needed, and he thanked the planet for that. If he was safe from Hojo's clutches because of his status, it would make him feel infinitely better. He was still worried though, and his head still hurt. Standing from his seat at the table, Cloud went over to his desk in the next room, settling himself there so he could work on a new design.

He needed make something as soon as possible, and he was already running out of time. If he wanted a sword done on time, he would have to start that day, no matter what. Cloud believed he would find the ideal materials in ShinRa's storage if he looked.

Settling his pencil against the paper, Cloud began to sketch well into the afternoon. The only thing that stopped him from continuing was when his stomach rumbled in hunger. Blinking, Cloud took that time to look out the window. He noticed it was dark and he sighed from the exhaustion of the day. Cloud wrinkled his nose in disgust when he realized he had never taken a shower. He must have really been preoccupied to not have done something he had previously planning to do…

The day was ending, but at least he had what he wanted; a good sword sketch that he could definitely use against Sephiroth. It was only a matter of getting it done now…

It looked like it would be a sleepless night for him.


End file.
